The present invention relates to IC (integrated circuit) cards and manufacturing techniques thereof, for example, a technique effective when adapted to a semiconductor memory card (which will hereinafter be called “memory card”).
A variety of IC cards have been used and semiconductor memory cards (which will hereinafter be called “memory cards”, simply) such as multimedia cards (having standards standardized by Multimedia Card Association) and SD memory cards (having standards standardized by SD Card Association) can be classified as memory devices capable of storing information in semiconductor memory chips inside thereof. When they are used, information is available by accessing directly and electrically to a non-volatile memory of the semiconductor memory chip, and a memory medium can be change easily without controlling the machine system. Thus, they have excellent features. Owing to compact size and light weight, they are used as an auxiliary storage unit for apparatuses which require portability such as mobile personal computer, mobile phone and digital camera.
In the manufacture of a small-size memory card, it is the common practice to cover a wiring substrate and a semiconductor chip with a case made of plastic. As a manufacturing method of a smaller and thinner memory card, there exists a technique of carrying out injection molding of an epoxy resin (thermosetting resin) while putting, in a mold, a circuit substrate having a semiconductor memory chip mounted thereon, thereby forming the memory card integral with its case (for example, refer to Patent Document 1 and Patent Document 2).
Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2001-325578
Patent Document 2: Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2002-176066